Introduction: The Galaxy Glove
Haptika is a set of DIY wearable technology kits designed to mitigate the effects of sexual and physical abuse. Survivors of abuse can possibly contradict the physiological and psychological effects of violence through self employed haptic touch experiences with interactive interfaces and expressive feedback. Through this potential access, creation, and adaptation of these DIY tools, survivors can re-establish a visceral sense of embodiment and empowerment thus contradicting the helplessness and fragmentation of trauma. Haptika aims to transform the landscape of therapeutic tools.
The Galaxy Glove Kit directly takes advantage of specific gesture and proximity as a means of haptic exploration. Intentional gesture, mirrored in the premise of intentional making and completed action for assault survivors, plays a vital role in enabling embodiment and empowerment in the user. The expressive feedback is provided in an adaptable code sample that allows the user to enact change in a visual environment. The example was inspired to provide a sense of possibility, optimism, wonder, and playfulness.
Step 1: Supplies
Download Arduino – Arduino is the open source software we will use to program these kits to do the cool things we want them to do! The code provided with the kit is a starter sample so that your kit works as intended but you are encouraged to learn, play, experiment and remix all you want!
Download Processing – Processing is a flexible software sketchbook and a language for learning how to code within the context of the visual arts. Since 2001, Processing has promoted software literacy within the visual arts and visual literacy within technology. There are tens of thousands of students, artists, designers, researchers, and hobbyists who use Processing for learning and prototyping.
- 1 x Glove – you can find these for a couple dollars at almost any retail store or if you are like me, you have a bunch of non-matching gloves in different crevices of my dresser.
- 1 x Wire Cutter
- 1 x Breadboard
- 1 x ProMicro
- 1 x Gesture Sensor
- 5 Wires
Step 2: PLACE THE PROMICRO AND THE GESTURE SENSOR INTO THE BREADBOARD.
Make sure that none of the pins are on the same row. The ProMicro must stick off the edge for all the pins to fit. This example has one column of holes between the ProMicro and the Gesture Sensor
Step 3: WIRE THE GESTURE SENSOR
- 1 Black Wire from the ProMicro GND to the Gesture Sensor Ground Pin
- 1 Red Wire from the ProMicro VCC to the Gesture Sensor VCC Pin
- 1 Green Wire from the ProMicro 2 to the Gesture Sensor DA Pin
- 1 Green Wire from the ProMicro 3 to the Gesture Sensor SA Pin
Step 4: PLACE THE BREADBOARD ON THE GLOVE
Remove the back sticker of the breadboard and place on the center of the palm of your glove
Step 5: Program Your Galaxy Glove
1.) OPEN UP ARDUINO (WHICH YOU DOWNLOADED FROM THE LINK ABOVE)
2.) REPLACE THE ARDUINO CODE FOUND BELOW
3.) PUT YOUR GLOVE ON AND MAKE SURE THE USB IS PLUGGED INTO THE GLOVE AND YOUR COMPUTER
4.) UPLOAD THE ARDUINO CODE TO YOUR GLOVE.
5.) AFTER UPLOAD, QUIT ARDUINO AND OPEN UP PROCESSING
6.) PASTE THE PROCESSING CODE BELOW INTO THE SKETCH AND HIT PLAY!
